This is my required (by whom? By me 🙂 post where I look back on the prior month and look ahead to the next month. These post are entirely self-serving. It seems a bit redundant since I JUST recapped Christmas, and I JUST reflected on the whole year. But, no, I must do this, I need to, and I want to.

December of 2025

In December… we put up the tree. The kids had their winter concerts. I saw friends – twice. One, a Friendsgiving at my friend B’s house, another was a winter solstice get-together at my friend H’s house.

Went to the sauna. Had my first classroom observation (where the administrators come and watch you teach). Skating Sundays. R was going to jiu jitsu (2-3 times a week), L was doing piano on Wednesdays, plus regular practice at the house.

My daughter and husband went to Maine. We had a spirit week at my high school! We had a pep rally+grade clash at my high school. I saw many students and teachers succumb to flu. Surprisingly, I stood strong and didn’t get sick (but just you wait…)

I had two stretches of solo parenting and felt myself getting stretched very thin. Despite the plan that I drew up for myself in my notebook. The last week of teaching was rough, where I was counting down the days till winter break. I remember on the last day I was sitting in the faculty lounge and just yawning non-stop.

Once on break, I got sick. Not with a flu, but with a cold? I had awful cough and soar throat. The cough was scary and persisted for over a week.

Time between Christmas and New Years (plus a few extra days) was wonderful. I had grand plans (NYC day trip! Brooklyn Botanical Gardens! The Intrepid Museum!)

None of that came to fruition.

I rested as much as I could, because I needed to and because of that cold. I napped every afternoon. I finished Sarah’s book. I started another book. The kids and I went skating. We watched a few movies. Went to the sauna with my daughter.

It was wonderful, and exactly what I needed.

January of 2026

Back to work (for me) and back to school (for the kids)

We joined the local YMCA. They have a gym, group exercise classes, two pools, with lap swim for adults and family swim for the kids. They have a sauna and a cafe. For $120 a month, the four of us can go there to do whatever, or I can go alone to exercise/take group classes. Oh, and they also have yoga classes. And, and! They have “parents night out” where you drop kids off from 6pm to 9pm and they do a movie, pizza, and a swim practice.

Kids‘ activities are piano, Brazilian jiu jitsu, and gymnastics

For me AND the kids: Sunday skates or swim and *new* Saturday family swim in the afternoon

My son’s 6th birthday!

My annual physical

Two theater performances: Sa Dance with my daughter and Drum Tao alone

Solo parenting: my husband will be away twice

Date night! (confirmed for January AND February)

Luteal phase: has started

Work: *new* units in both levels. Next year course recommendations (regular or honors) are due at the end of the month. Marking period 3 is over at the end of the month. One faculty meeting.

All in all, the month does not look bad at all. There is a *fun* aspect to it (a date night, two performances, skates, etc) but I know that solo weeks will be hard. I have to remember to give myself lots of slack. And coffee.

Your turn! How is January looking for you?

Pic on the cover: an indoor playground we went to on January 1st, 2026.